Who am I—Teacher or practitioner? Teacher‐practitioners’ experience of identity in higher education—A phenomenological view

Abstract Practitioners entering academic careers in higher education face many challenges in teacher identity formation. This article is based on ongoing research and aims to understand the phenomenon of experiencing teacher identity in teacher‐practitioners who have interrupted their academic caree...

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Main Authors: Elina Peri, Larissa Jõgi, Marvi Remmik
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2024-03-01
Series:Future in Educational Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.20
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author Elina Peri
Larissa Jõgi
Marvi Remmik
author_facet Elina Peri
Larissa Jõgi
Marvi Remmik
author_sort Elina Peri
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Practitioners entering academic careers in higher education face many challenges in teacher identity formation. This article is based on ongoing research and aims to understand the phenomenon of experiencing teacher identity in teacher‐practitioners who have interrupted their academic careers in the field of healthcare and social sciences in Estonian higher education institutions. Empirical data was collected using semi‐structured interviews. Data analysis was based on a phenomenological approach and the content analysis method. The experience of the identity of the teacher‐practitioners is contradictory and can be understood as a subjective and collective phenomenon. The findings showed that teacher‐practitioners with a strong specialist identity are not stable in their academic careers. Their identity is characterised by fragility and is associated with decisions to continue or interrupt their academic careers. The study suggests that the efforts of teacher‐practitioners in academic settings need to be professionally supported by the provision of individual, collective and targeted institutional support. The article contributes to studies of professional identity from an interpretative phenomenological perspective.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2024-03-01
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spelling doaj-art-0ac86f8e378844ffa6a726f1c73a613e2025-02-06T15:35:21ZengWileyFuture in Educational Research2835-94022024-03-0121658010.1002/fer3.20Who am I—Teacher or practitioner? Teacher‐practitioners’ experience of identity in higher education—A phenomenological viewElina Peri0Larissa Jõgi1Marvi Remmik2Chair of Nursing Tallinn Health Care College Tallinn EstoniaSchool of Education Sciences Tallinn University Tallinn EstoniaFaculty of Social Sciences Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies University of Tartu Tartu EstoniaAbstract Practitioners entering academic careers in higher education face many challenges in teacher identity formation. This article is based on ongoing research and aims to understand the phenomenon of experiencing teacher identity in teacher‐practitioners who have interrupted their academic careers in the field of healthcare and social sciences in Estonian higher education institutions. Empirical data was collected using semi‐structured interviews. Data analysis was based on a phenomenological approach and the content analysis method. The experience of the identity of the teacher‐practitioners is contradictory and can be understood as a subjective and collective phenomenon. The findings showed that teacher‐practitioners with a strong specialist identity are not stable in their academic careers. Their identity is characterised by fragility and is associated with decisions to continue or interrupt their academic careers. The study suggests that the efforts of teacher‐practitioners in academic settings need to be professionally supported by the provision of individual, collective and targeted institutional support. The article contributes to studies of professional identity from an interpretative phenomenological perspective.https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.20academic careerexperiencehigher educationidentityteacher‐practitioners
spellingShingle Elina Peri
Larissa Jõgi
Marvi Remmik
Who am I—Teacher or practitioner? Teacher‐practitioners’ experience of identity in higher education—A phenomenological view
Future in Educational Research
academic career
experience
higher education
identity
teacher‐practitioners
title Who am I—Teacher or practitioner? Teacher‐practitioners’ experience of identity in higher education—A phenomenological view
title_full Who am I—Teacher or practitioner? Teacher‐practitioners’ experience of identity in higher education—A phenomenological view
title_fullStr Who am I—Teacher or practitioner? Teacher‐practitioners’ experience of identity in higher education—A phenomenological view
title_full_unstemmed Who am I—Teacher or practitioner? Teacher‐practitioners’ experience of identity in higher education—A phenomenological view
title_short Who am I—Teacher or practitioner? Teacher‐practitioners’ experience of identity in higher education—A phenomenological view
title_sort who am i teacher or practitioner teacher practitioners experience of identity in higher education a phenomenological view
topic academic career
experience
higher education
identity
teacher‐practitioners
url https://doi.org/10.1002/fer3.20
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AT larissajogi whoamiteacherorpractitionerteacherpractitionersexperienceofidentityinhighereducationaphenomenologicalview
AT marviremmik whoamiteacherorpractitionerteacherpractitionersexperienceofidentityinhighereducationaphenomenologicalview